His massive head settled against cool stone as regeneration worked its slow magic.

The Apex Mane’s image remained burned into his memory, golden eye blazing with fury, claws dripping with his blood.

Round one to you. But this isn’t over.

The hunt would continue once he’d recovered from this harsh lesson in power hierarchies.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

…

Time flowed like honey through wounded flesh as Ethan’s enhanced regeneration worked its slow magic.

Hours passed in a haze of accelerated healing, his bear form sprawled across the Town Hall’s stone floor while damaged tissue rebuilt itself fiber by fiber.

The familiar chime of system notifications finally broke through his recovery trance.

<Magical Herb Garden: Harvest Ready>

<Two specimens have reached maturity>

<Automatic seed propagation complete: 4 additional specimens planted>

‘Finally. Time to see if this investment paid off.’

Ethan’s transformation dissolved, ursine mass flowing back into human proportions as he regained his natural form.

His left arm moved with perfect functionality, the Apex Mane’s devastating wounds erased as if they’d never existed.

‘Good as new. Better than new, actually.’

He emerged from the Town Hall into afternoon sunlight, his subjects continuing their duties with the efficiency he’d come to expect.

But Marcus spotted him immediately, the archer’s eyes widening in shock.

‘He was critically injured a few hours ago. Now he looks…brand new’

“My Lord?” Marcus approached cautiously, his voice thick with confusion.

“Your injuries… they’re completely gone?”

‘Can’t explain regeneration without revealing transformation capabilities.’

“Advanced healing techniques,” Ethan replied smoothly.

“Part of Gold-rank enhancement.”

The lie came easily, but Marcus’s expression showed he wasn’t entirely convinced.

Still, orders from a superior weren’t subject to debate, regardless of personal skepticism.

‘Let him wonder. Mystique has tactical value.’

Ethan strode toward the herb garden, anticipation building with each step.

The magical enhancement structure hummed with contained energy, its beast core network glowing softly as it completed the first harvest cycle.

Two mature herbs occupied the central growing beds, their magical signatures pulsing with accumulated power.

But four additional plantings showed fresh growth in surrounding plots—automatic seed propagation fulfilling its promise.

‘Renewable advancement materials. The investment is already paying dividends.’

He examined the mature specimens with growing excitement.

The first herb carried the familiar energy signature of tier 2 enhancement, valuable but not revolutionary.

The second specimen radiated more power, its tier 3 classification evident in the way condentrated energy could be felt within it.

The automatic propagation had planted four seeds during the maturation process, ensuring continuous production cycles.

Within twenty-four hours, he’d have six mature herbs instead of two—exponential growth that could accelerate his advancement dramatically.

‘But the tier 3 specimen is the real prize.’

Ethan carefully harvested both herbs, their magical essence flowing into dimensional storage for processing.

The tier 2 specimen would be replanted for additional seed production—compound investment that prioritized long-term gains over immediate consumption.

‘Patience yields better results than desperate consumption.’

But the tier 3 herb demanded immediate attention. Its power level suggested advancement benefits that could bridge the gap between his current capabilities and what he needed to face the Apex Mane.

He consumed the precious specimen without ceremony, power flooding his enhanced physiology as concentrated advancement essence integrated into his existing capabilities.

<You have consumed Tier 3 Enhancement Herb>

<+15 Intelligence>

‘Fifteen intelligence points. Substantial improvement.’

The enhancement felt the same as core-based advancement.

Perhapse it’s because im devouring both for progression. So I can’t tell the difference.

His mana reserves had expanded while his casting efficiency improved across all magical talents.

‘Still Low-Gold rank, but more powerful within that classification.’

His total intelligence had reached 255—well above the standard Low-Gold threshold but apparently insufficient for advancement to Mid-Gold.

The system seemed to require more stats points to reach the mid-gold rank.

‘I also need to advance Strength, Agility, and Vitality to match Intelligence levels.’

But the magical enhancement provided immediate benefits.

His fire, water, and wind manipulations now carried greater power while consuming less energy. The efficiency gains would prove crucial in extended combat scenarios.

‘Time to test these improvements against that damn Apex Mane. I completely destroyed it’s left eye. It should be easier to fight now.’

Ethan turned toward the jungle boundary, renewed determination burning in his chest.

The Apex Mane awaited his return, probably in the same habitat it controlled.

‘Round two. This time I’m bringing superior firepower.’

His subjects continued their duties with professional efficiency, unaware that their Lord was planning another infiltration of hostile territory.

The herb garden’s success had provided exactly the advancement he needed to tip the balance.

‘Even if I have to return a dozen times injured, that creature will fall…it must fall.’

The hunt was about to resume.

—–

Meanwhile, three kilometers north in the heart of jungle canopy, Captain Morrison approached Lord Vance’s throne room with news that would reshape operational priorities.

The chamber’s opulent decorations seemed to mock the gravity of his report—silk tapestries and golden ornaments providing backdrop for conversations about failure and death.

The two women who’d been draped across Vance’s lap had been dismissed, their services no longer required.

‘Vincent should have returned yesterday. This delay suggests complications.’

Morrison’s boots echoed against polished stone as he crossed the throne room’s expanse. His Gold rank aura flickered with barely contained tension, composure warring with genuine concern for missing subordinates.

Lord Vance studied his approach with cold calculation, his eyes missing nothing about his captain’s body language.

Years of experience had taught him to read the subtle signs that preceded bad news.

‘Morrison’s worried. That means the situation is worse than routine delay.’

“Report,” Vance commanded, his voice carrying absolute authority despite conversational tone.

Morrison straightened into military attention, decades of training overriding personal emotions.

“Vincent’s reconnaissance team has not returned from their scheduled mission, my Lord.”

‘Missing scouts. Either they encountered resistance or found opportunities worth extended investigation.’

Vance’s expression remained neutral despite the implications racing through his tactical mind.

Vincent’s team consisted of experienced operators who understood the importance of maintaining communication schedules. Silence meant problems.

“Timeline?”

“A few hours.”

‘Too long for equipment failure or navigation errors. Something eliminated them or detained them.’

The reality were stark.

Vincent’s team possessed sufficient firepower to handle most threats within their assigned patrol zone.

Whatever had prevented their return operated on power levels that demanded serious attention.

“Theories?”

Morrison’s jaw tightened as he voiced possibilities that challenged their operational assumptions.

“Unknown hostile force in the southern desert. Possibly another Lord who’s established territory in our expansion zone.”

‘Another Lord. That would explain the complete blackout.’

Vance’s fingers drummed against his throne’s armrest, the only visible sign of displeasure at this development.

Their expansion plans assumed minimal resistance from scattered survivors. Organized opposition changed everything.

“Initiate our rescue operations. Start the standard protocols.”

Morrison nodded, already calculating unit compositions and deployment timelines.

“Should we send Captain Torres with four Peak-Bronze operatives?”

‘Standard rescue doctrine. Probably insufficient if my suspicions are correct.’

Vance shook his head with decisive authority.

“If something had happened to Vincent, another small team will just provide additional casualties.”

‘Vincent’s team represented significant combat capability. Whatever eliminated them won’t be deterred by marginal reinforcement.’

The Lord’s tactical mind processed threat assessment scenarios with a cold expression.

Unknown enemies demanded overwhelming response rather than incremental escalation. Better to commit excessive force than risk additional losses through conservative deployment.

“Send Captain Harrison and Captain Torres together. Harrison commands overall operations while Torres handles tactical coordination.”

‘Mid-Gold and Low-Gold leadership…that should be enough’

Morrison’s eyebrows rose slightly at the substantial commitment of resources. Two captains represented significant operational capability—more firepower than most territorial raids required.

“Support elements?”

“Five Peak-Silver operatives. Mixed specializations—assault, reconnaissance, and magical support.”

‘Seven total personnel. More combat power than most Lords can field.’

The deployment represented escalation from routine investigation to military expedition. If another Lord had eliminated Vincent’s team, they’d face overwhelming retaliation designed to crush resistance permanently.

“Timeline for deployment?”

Vance’s cold gaze fixed on middle distance as he calculated operational requirements.

“A few hours for preparation, then immediate departure. I want answers by tomorrow evening.”

‘Either they find survivors to rescue or enemies to eliminate. Both scenarios demand decisive action.’

Morrison saluted with respect etched into his face.

“It will be done, my Lord.”

As for his subordinate that departed to organize the expedition, Vance contemplated the broader implications of organized resistance in their expansion zone. Other Lords represented complications that demanded permanent solutions.

‘Vincent’s death—if that’s what occurred—will be avenged. But more importantly, this territory will be claimed regardless of current occupancy.’

The throne room’s opulent surroundings seemed to emphasize the stakes involved. Everything he’d built depended on continuous expansion and resource acquisition. Challenges to that expansion required elimination through overwhelming force.

‘Seven of my best operators against one unknown Lord. This should go in our favor to decide victory.’

But a trace of unease flickered through his thoughts as he considered the implications. Vincent’s team hadn’t been weak or inexperienced. Whatever force had eliminated them possessed capabilities that demanded respect.

‘Still, Mid-Gold leadership backed by Low-Gold support should handle most threats. Unless…’

The possibility of facing another High-Gold or Platinum-rank opponent sent ice through his veins. Power at that level could reshape entire regions, turning his carefully planned expansion into defensive warfare.

‘No. Most Lords never advance beyond Gold-rank. The odds favor manageable opposition.’

Six hours until deployment. Six hours until his forces discovered whether they faced desperate resistance or genuine threat to his territorial ambitions.

‘Time will tell. It always does.’

The jungle’s depths would soon witness violence that would determine the future of both territories—one way or another.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep